KP Assembly Defers Debate on Annual Development Program

ISLAMABAD, March 19, 2019: The Provincial Assembly of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) deferred debate on Annual Development Program and discussed steps for rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure in Tribal Districts, observes Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Tuesday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during third sitting of the sixth session:

Members’ Participation

  • The Assembly met for two hours and 21 minutes.
  • The sitting started at 1439 hours against the scheduled time of 1330 hours.
  • The Speaker presided over the entire sitting while the Deputy Speaker was also present.
  • The Leader of the House was absent.
  • The Leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
  • As many as 40 MPAs (32%) were present at the outset while 45 (36%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • As many as 35 (28%) lawmakers were present at the outset while 42 (34%) at the adjournment of the sitting.
  • The parliamentary leaders of ANP and PPPP attended the proceedings.
  • As many as one out of three minority lawmakers attended the sitting.

Output

  • The Minister for Law introduced the KP Energy Development Organization (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the House.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • The House debated steps for rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure in the Tribal Districts. As many as ten lawmakers (four of PTI, two each of ANP & MMAP, one each of PPPP and PML-N) participated in the debate that continued for an hour and 40 minutes.
  • The House deferred debate on Annual Development Program till next sitting.
  • The Minister for Law responded to a Call Attention Notice (CAN) regarding stagnant water near Assembly’s building due to poor sanitation conditions there. It was raised by lawmaker belonging to MMAP.
  • Another CAN on the agenda was not taken up which was about cutting of trees at mega level in the Province.

Order and Institutionalization

  • As many as three lawmakers raised two Points of Order consuming ten minutes of the proceedings.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on March 20, 2019 at 1330 hours.

Transparency

  • ‘Orders of the Day’ is available to the legislators, observers and others.
  • The attendance of lawmakers is not available to the observers and media.

This daily factsheet is based on direct observation of the KP Assembly proceeding conducted by United Rural Development Organization (URDO) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted